A monk visits the village untimely – Parable of the elephant and the lotus roots
Translation of BZA 022. First version published in Buddhist Studies Review vol. 23-1 (2006).
Thus have I heard, once, the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī at the Jeta Grove in the Anāthapiṇḍika Park.
At that time the monks took their robes and begging bowls and entered the town to beg for food. There was a young, newly ordained monk who entered the village not at the appropriate time [only ]. The monks noticed this young, newly ordained monk in several places and said to him: ‘You have just started to learn, and do not know yet the practices to control yourself. What are you doing among the families everywhere?’. The newly ordained monk spoke to the other monks: ‘The venerable Elders all move among the families. Why should I be denied this and not stay among the families?’.
There the monks, having eaten what they had received on their alms-round, put away their robes and begging-bowls, washed their feet and went to the Buddha, paid homage to his feet and sat to one side. There they said to the Buddha: ‘World-honored One! When we entered the town to beg for food, we saw a young, newly ordained monk, who did not visit the families at the appropriate time. We said to him: “You have just started to learn, do not know yet how to control yourself. Why do you visit the families at an inappropriate time?”. He answered us: “The elder monks as well have come to the families. Why should I alone be denied this?’’’.
At that time the Buddha said to the monks: ‘In a vast wilderness there was a large lake. A number of large elephants used to enter the lake and with their trunks pull out the lotus roots that were growing there. After giving them a shake, they cleaned them in the water and ate them. Their bodies became fat and full, and they grew extremely strong. Some smaller elephants also ate of the lotus roots, but did not know how to shake them and clean them in the water. They ate them together with the mud and became weak and thin, they did not grow strong. Some died, some almost died’.
At that time the World-honored One spoke a verse:
The elephant enters the lake / with his trunk pulls out the lotus root, //
frees it from mud, gives it a shake / and only then takes it as food. //
Those among the monks / practising the unsullied Dhamma, //
who receiving the alms / stay moderate, can not be tainted. //
They may be called practitioners / they are like the great elephants. //
Those who do not well understand skillful means / will suffer because of their excesses, //
will later have to suffer pains / like the young elephants. //
The monks, having listened to what the Buddha had said, were happy and practised accordingly.
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時有眾多比丘，晨朝著衣持缽，入毘舍離乞食。時有年少比丘，出家未久，不閑法、律，當乞食時，不知先後次第。餘比丘見已，而告之言：
「汝是年少，出家未久，未知法、律，莫越、莫重，前後失次而行乞食，長夜當得不饒益苦。」
年少比丘言：
「諸上座亦復越次，不隨前後，非獨我也。」
如是再三，不能令止。眾多比丘乞食已，還精舍，舉衣缽，洗足已，詣佛所，稽首禮足，退坐一面，白佛言：
「世尊！我等晨朝著衣持缽，入毘舍離乞食。有一年少比丘，於此法、律出家未久，行乞食時，不以次第，前後復重。諸比丘等再三諫，不受，而作是言： 『諸上座亦不次第，何故呵我？』 我等諸比丘三呵，不受，故來白世尊。唯願世尊為除非法，哀愍故！」
佛告諸比丘：
「如空澤中有大湖水。有大龍象，而居其中，拔諸藕根，洗去泥土，然後食之。食已，身體肥悅，多力多樂。以是因緣，常喜樂住。有異種族象，形體羸小，效彼龍象，拔其藕根，洗不能淨，合泥土食。食之不消，體不肥悅，轉轉羸弱，緣斯致死，或同死苦。如是宿德比丘學道日久，不樂嬉戲，久修梵行，大師所歎。諸餘明智修梵行者，亦復加歎。是等比丘依止城邑、聚落，晨朝著衣持缽，入城乞食，善護身、口，善攝諸根，專心繫念，能令彼人不信者信，信者不異。若得財利──衣被、飲食、床臥、湯藥，不染、不著、不貪、不嗜、不迷、不逐，見其過患，見其出離，然復食之。食已，身心悅澤，得色得力。以是因緣，常得安樂。彼年少比丘出家未久，未閑法、律，依諸長老，依止聚落，著衣持缽，入村乞食，不善護身，不守根門，不專繫念，不能令彼不信者信，信者不變。若得財利──衣被、飲食、臥具、湯藥，染著貪逐，不見過患，不見出離，以嗜欲心食，不能令身悅澤，安隱快樂。緣斯食故，轉向於死，或同死苦。所言『死』者，謂捨戒還俗，失正法、正律。『同死苦』者，謂犯正法、律，不識罪相，不知除罪。」
爾時世尊即說偈言：
「龍象拔藕根 水洗而食之
異族象效彼 合泥而取食
因雜泥食故 羸病遂至死」
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